Horse owner says vandalism was ‘act of hate’

ROCHESTER – Lisa Anne Kreger of Walworth never expected to see such generosity and support from strangers across the world.

But she also never expected someone to vandalize her 4-year-old therapy horse while she slept.

“People are so saddened that someone would do this to a horse,” she said. “It hurts me that someone would do this to an innocent, kind-hearted animal.”

Early Monday morning, Kreger went into the barn by her Wayne County home to feed Dusty, her Palomino horse, and instantly knew something was wrong. Dusty didn’t whinny, his typical morning greeting, and much of his hair was on the ground, she said.

Someone had chopped Dusty’s forelock, mane and 20-inch tail, leaving the horse with a jagged haircut. A sideways “R” was spray-painted onto the stall and directly on the rear side of the horse.

Fortunately, she said, Dusty was not physically harmed.

New York State Police are investigating the incident, which occurred in an unlocked barn by the South Lincoln Road home sometime between 9:30 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday, said Trooper Matt Kent. A second horse in the barn was not harmed, Kreger said.

His jagged mane has since been trimmed. Much of the paint has been scrubbed from Dusty’s body.

“His spirit is still intact,” she said. “He’s still a little lover.”

Since Monday, hundreds of people from across the county, the country and as far as Australia and New Zealand, have offered support and assistance. Some have offered fly spray and sheets for Dusty, as the cut has left him without a full tail to swat away flies and a mane to protect his eyes from the sun, flies and weeds.

Others have offered funds to help create a reward.

“From around the globe, I’m being blanketed by love and support,” she said, adding that she has been touched by each message and call. “Love always wins.”

Kreger said she’s had Dusty for about a year. As a therapy horse, she said, Dusty has provided an outlet for her post-traumatic stress disorder that stemmed from childhood trauma.

Kreger said she wants to ultimately help others and someday, along with her sister, open a stable for rehabilitated horses and offer horse therapy for others who suffer from PTSD.

Trooper Mark O’Donnell said such an attack on an animal is “very uncommon.”

“I can’t recall another case in recent history (handled by State Police) where someone vandalized an animal,” he said.

At least one other police agency noted a recent incident. In May, Ontario County sheriff’s deputies charged a 17-year-old girl with animal cruelty after she allegedly cut off a horse’s tail at a Bristol stable.

To the vandal(s), Kreger has a message: “I’m sorry you feel so much hatred that you have to take your anger out on an innocent 4-year-old therapy horse.”

Troopers continue to investigate the incident.

“I’m not going to let all of the healing this horse gave me fade away,” she said. “I’m not going to let this act of hate destroy that. I’m going to turn this horrible sin into a blessing.”

VFREILE@DemocratandChronicle.com

Twitter.com/vfreile

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Click on this story at DemocratandChronicle.com to see a video of Lisa Anne Kreger talking about the incident.